Space missions: comparison of shielding effectiveness among different materials using 1 GeV protons

The study of materials suitable for radiation protection of astronauts in space missions is always a topic of fundamental importance. This paper shows the results of the comparison of the effectiveness of different materials in cutting down the radiation dose and is intended as a contribution to the search of the most appropriate material for radiation protection against the Solar Particle Events. The physics case deals with the interaction of a 1 GeV proton beam with slabs of different materials having a thickness of 20 g cm^{− 2}. The study was conducted with a simulation tool based on the well-known simulation package Geant4. We focus in this work only on impinging protons with the energy of 1 GeV, and not on the whole energy spectrum of Solar Particle Events, because the simulated dose can be easily verified under strict experimental conditions thus providing the benefit of the validation of the prediction capabilities of the simulation tool developed. We conclude that the Nomex material, with the inclusion of a percentage of air, is more efficient than aluminum for what it concerns the shielding of the 1 GeV proton component of the Solar Particle Events. (paper)